The Aquileia Film Festival transforms Piazza Capitolo into a magnificent open-air cinema beneath the stars
About the Festival
The Aquileia Film Festival is Italy's premier international archaeological film festival, transforming the magnificent Piazza Capitolo — in the shadow of the UNESCO-listed Patriarchal Basilica — into an enchanting open-air cinema every summer. Now entering its 17th edition, the festival has become a cornerstone of Italy's cultural calendar, drawing film enthusiasts, archaeology lovers, and cultural travellers from across Europe and beyond.
Organised by the Fondazione Aquileia in collaboration with Archeologia Viva and Firenze Archeofilm, the festival is held with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, the Municipality of Aquileia, and the Basilica of Aquileia. This remarkable event is also part of the GO! 2025 European Capital of Culture programme, celebrating the shared cultural heritage of the cross-border region.
Spectacular screenings in Piazza Capitolo, with the Basilica as backdrop
The 2024 edition drew thousands of visitors to the UNESCO site
The Aquileia Prize — A Mosaic Masterpiece
One of the festival's most unique traditions is the Premio Aquileia — a stunning mosaic artwork awarded to the film most voted by the public. Each year, the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli (School of Mosaicists of Friuli) crafts an original mosaic piece inspired by Aquileia's extraordinary Roman and early Christian mosaic heritage.
The prize represents a profound connection between the festival and Aquileia's identity as the "Mosaic Capital of the West." The winning film director receives this one-of-a-kind artwork during a special ceremony on Friday, July 31st, 2026 — a memorable evening celebrating the intersection of cinema, archaeology, and artisanal craftsmanship. Previous editions have featured mosaics inspired by Hellenistic portraits and symbolic motifs drawn from the Basilica's world-famous 4th-century floor mosaics.
Mosaic art crafted by the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli — similar to the Aquileia Prize
The spectacular 4th-century floor mosaics inside the Patriarchal Basilica
Programme 2026 — Seven Nights of Cinema & Archaeology
All screenings begin at 21:00 (9:00 PM) in Piazza Capitolo. Admission is free with mandatory online reservation available from July 14th.
Tuesday, July 28 — Special Opening Evening
50th Anniversary of the 1976 Friuli Earthquake
- Book Presentation: "Quando tornano le rondini. Friuli 1976: memorie di un terremoto" by Giada Messetti, in conversation with Elena Commessatti
- Film Screening: Orcolat (2025, 92') — Narrated by Bruno Pizzul, this powerful documentary weaves together memory, identity, and rebirth of Friuli nearly fifty years after the devastating 1976 earthquake, featuring testimonies from Dino Zoff, Manuela Di Centa, Fabio Capello, Paolo Rumiz, and others. Music by Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti and Elisa.
Wednesday, July 29 — Aquileia Film Festival
- Screening: Nella mente degli uomini. UNESCO 1945-2025: Italia viaggio nella bellezza (2025, 60') — A Rai Cultura documentary exploring UNESCO's mission to rebuild cultural heritage destroyed by war. Followed by a conversation with Simone Quilici (Director of the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo) and Alfonsina Russo (Ministry of Culture).
- Screening: Roma sotterranea, una metro nella storia (2025, 52') — An unprecedented journey through Rome's most complex archaeological underground, revealing sensational discoveries that have rewritten history.
Thursday, July 30 — Aquileia Film Festival
- Screening: Il mistero degli aquiloni del deserto (2025, 54') — Thousands of mysterious geometric structures in northern Saudi Arabia and southern Jordan, older than the pyramids by over 4,000 years. An international team of archaeologists attempts to solve the enigma.
- Conversation: With Evelina Christillin, President of the Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie and Knight of Grand Cross of the Italian Republic.
- Screening: Vitrum — il vetro dei Romani (2025, 52') — A Roman shipwreck off Corsica reveals an extraordinary cargo of raw glass blocks and finely crafted objects, followed by an unprecedented underwater archaeological investigation.
Friday, July 31 — Aquileia Film Festival & Prize Ceremony
- World Premiere Screening: L'Impero Assiro — La storia rivelata (2026, 90') — Two teams conduct an unprecedented archaeological investigation to unveil the mysteries of the Assyrian Empire: a German team uncovers a forgotten city, while an Italian team reconstructs an extraordinary network of desert canals built nearly 3,000 years ago. With Professor Daniele Morandi Bonacossi (University of Udine).
- Aquileia Prize Ceremony: The mosaic prize is awarded to the film most voted by the public!
Saturday, August 1 — INCinema OUTSIDE
Free admission, no reservation required
- Screening: Rear Window (La finestra sul cortile) (1954, 112') — Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Original English version with Italian subtitles. Accessible with audio description via the EARCATCH app.
Sunday, August 2 — INCinema OUTSIDE
Free admission, no reservation required
- Screening: The Seven Year Itch (Quando la moglie è in vacanza) (1955, 105') — Billy Wilder's timeless comedy starring Marilyn Monroe in her most iconic role. Original English version with Italian subtitles. Accessible with audio description via the EARCATCH app.
Monday, August 3 — Aquileia Film Festival
- Screening: Aquileia e i cristianesimi perduti (2026, 68') — An investigative documentary exploring the links between the Church of Aquileia and the great traditions of Eastern Christianity, in a journey through history, symbols, and memory from the Adriatic to the spiritual centres of the ancient Mediterranean.
Tuesday, August 4 — Closing Evening
- Book Presentation: "Il tempo delle viole" by Elena Commessatti — A novel about three young women who create a secret society, "Le Viole di Udine," dedicated to protecting and supporting women at the turn of the 20th century.
- Screening: Quello che resta (2026, 51') — A journey through three communities of Friuli Venezia Giulia united by living ritual traditions in the Natisone Valleys, Valcellina, and Carnia.
Discover Aquileia — A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The festival takes place in one of Italy's most extraordinary archaeological settings. Aquileia, founded by the Romans in 181 BC, was once one of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Roman Empire — known as the "Second Rome" — with a population of nearly 100,000 at its peak. Today, its archaeological area spans 155 hectares and includes the Roman Forum, the river port, ancient markets, baths, theatres, burial grounds, and some of the most spectacular mosaic floors in the Western world.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, Aquileia's most iconic monument is the Patriarchal Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, built over a 4th-century early Christian church. Its mosaic floor — the largest and best-preserved early Christian mosaic in the Western world — covers an astonishing 750 m² and features intricate scenes including the story of Jonah, Solomon's Knot, and extensive fishing motifs. The Basilica's bell tower rises 73 metres, offering panoramic views over the archaeological site and the surrounding Friuli countryside.
The festival's setting in Piazza Capitolo, directly in front of the Basilica, creates an unforgettable atmosphere where cinema and two millennia of history merge under the summer stars.
Roman columns at the Aquileia archaeological site at dusk
The Patriarchal Basilica and its 73-metre medieval bell tower
The Roman Forum — the political and social heart of ancient Aquileia
Intricate details from the world-famous mosaic floors of Aquileia
Practical Information
Dates & Times
July 28 – August 4, 2026
All screenings at 21:00 (9:00 PM)
Venue
Piazza Capitolo
Aquileia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
Admission
Free with mandatory online reservation (opens July 14th). INCinema OUTSIDE screenings (Aug 1-2) are free without reservation.
Accessibility
All films feature subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, plus audio description for the blind and visually impaired via the free EARCATCH app (iOS & Android). Live transcription is available for conversations.
Organizers
Fondazione Aquileia, in collaboration with Archeologia Viva and Firenze Archeofilm. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Municipality of Aquileia, and Basilica of Aquileia.
Contact
Tel: +39 0431 917619
Web: www.fondazioneaquileia.it
Plan Your Visit to Aquileia
Located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy, Aquileia is easily accessible from Nova Gorica (approximately 45 minutes by car) and makes for an exceptional cultural getaway. Beyond the festival, visitors can explore the National Archaeological Museum (housing over 2,000 inscriptions, statues, and mosaics), the Palaeo-Christian Museum, the Roman River Port (one of the best-preserved ancient port installations), and the Domus of Tito Macro — one of the largest reconstructed Roman villas in Northern Italy.
The Basilica complex, including the Baptistery, Südhalle, and Episcopal Palace, offers a combined ticket (€12 full price, €9 reduced). Aquileia is also twinned with Piran, Slovenia, reflecting the deep historical connections across the Adriatic region. Whether you're a cinema enthusiast, archaeology aficionado, or simply seeking a magical summer evening under the stars, the Aquileia Film Festival promises an unforgettable experience where ancient history meets contemporary storytelling.
Aerial view of Aquileia — one of the largest unexcavated Roman cities in the Mediterranean world